The present disclosure generally relates to a dispatching device for dispatching sample containers received in respective sample container carriers from a transport surface of a sample distribution system to an external position with respect to the transport surface and/or from the external position to the transport surface, to a sample distribution system with such a dispatching device, and to a laboratory automation system with such a sample distribution system.
Sample containers are typically elongated vessels that are open at one end and are made of usually transparent glass or plastic, which are used for storing and transporting usually liquid samples. Such samples are for example blood samples.
In the case of laboratory automation systems, it is often necessary to transport samples in sample containers to a plurality of different stations of the laboratory automation system.
Known sample distribution systems can reliably move sample container carriers between different stations or else store them for a certain time on the transport surface. It may however also be required to bring samples onto the transport surface or to dispatch samples from the transport surface to a remote device, for example a further transport surface. In the case of sample distribution systems of the generic type, this typically requires manual interventions.
Therefore, this is a need for providing a dispatching device with which sample container carriers can be dispatched from the transport surface of a sample distribution system to an external position or from the external position to the transport surface without manual interventions being necessary, for providing a sample distribution system with such a dispatching device, and for providing a laboratory automation system with such a sample distribution system.